UP rape survivor’s father had 18 wounds, ruptured intestines: Autopsy

Highlights

Death due to septicemia suggests that Devender was not given proper treatment in judicial custody.

The panel of doctors which conducted the postmortem late Monday night noted 18 ante-mortem injuries on Devender’s body.

LUCKNOW: In a fresh twist to the death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father in judicial custody on Monday, the autopsy has revealed that there were 18 injuries on his body and his intestines were ruptured. The report said the man died of septicaemia — a life threatening condition in which infection spreads in the blood. The survivor, who has accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates of gang-raping her, had tried to commit suicide outside the chief minister’s residence on Sunday.

Her father Devender (name changed to protect the rape survivor’s identity), who was in judicial custody since April 4, died a day later in hospital. Following the autopsy findings, a murder charge has been added to the FIR against five people, including Sengar’s younger brother Atul, who are accused of beating up the victim. Survivor’s dad not given proper care in custody?Death due to septicemia suggests that Devender was not given proper treatment in judicial custody. Two stitches were found on his body and there was about 250ml of pus in his abdomen. The panel of doctors which conducted the postmortem late Monday night noted 18 ante-mortem injuries on Devender’s body. These included two broken teeth and injuries on the jaw. “The sections mentioned in the initial FIR against Atul and his aides have been revised as per the findings of the post mortem report and Section 302 (murder) of IPC has been added,” said Lucknow IG P Sujeet Pandey, who is supervising the case after it was transferred to Lucknow crime branch. A source involved with the autopsy revealed that severe infection had spread in Devender’s gastro-intestinal tract, leading to septicemia. Documents accessed by TOI show that Unnao district hospital doctors, who had examined Devender on April 3, a day before he was sent to judicial custody, mentioned 19 minor injuries in their report. He had sustained these injuries during the scuffle with Atul and his aides. Meanwhile, the Yogi government constituted different teams — one for a judicial inquiry under CrPC 176 to probe exact circumstances of the death, while Lucknow police will probe allegations in the cross-FIRs registered on April 3-4 and also whether the MLA was given a clean chit under influence. Also, the NHRC has sent notices to the UP government and the state police chief seeking a detailed report.